As the film opens, the sinister Blue Meanies launch an all-out assault on Pepperland, stealing the love, peace and music from the good people who live there.

Only Old Fred escapes, and he seeks out the Liverpool lads in his multi-talented yellow submarine.

Once the boys are rounded up, Fred and The Beatles travel in the submarine through seas of monsters, science, time and holes, running across such oddball creations as Jeremy Hillary Boob, PhD, a fast-talking, rhyming munchkin.

The lads brave through every danger with a smile and a song, eventually arriving at Pepperland for a love-fuelled showdown with the Meanies and their dreaded blue Glove.

Admittedly, the plot was a bit thin, but that was hardly the point. Yellow Submarine wasn’t a journey – it was a trip.

With a wide palette of bright colours and a pop art psychedelic look reminiscent of Peter Max, the movie was an endless source of rainbow eye candy.

It was also a treat for the ears, mixing new tunes like It’s All Too Much with Beatles classics such as Eleanor Rigby, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, All You Need Is Love and of course, the title tune. When the music wasn’t playing, the film was peppered with clever bits of dialogue and throwaway one-liners.

Even though actors provide the voices, they managed to capture each Beatle’s individual sensibility: John’s cheekiness, Paul’s cheeriness, George’s drollness and Ringo’s penchant for always getting himself into some sort of trouble.